Levels of Some Trace Elements and Rheumatoid Factor in Sheep with Brucellosis SUAT EKIN,* , 1 SULEYMAN KOZAT, 2 HANDAN GUNDUZ, 3 NIHAT MERT, 3 AND CENGIZ KARAKAYA 4 1 Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Chemistry Department, Biochemistry Division, 2 Vocational School of Ozalp, 3 Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, and 4 Medical School, Department of Biochemistry, Yuzuncu Yil University, 65080 Van, Turkey Received May 2, 2003; Revised September 2, 2003; Accepted October 24, 2003 ABSTRACT Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is encountered in sheep rather frequently. In this study, 100 sheep diagnosed with brucellosis that had aborts and 40 healthy sheep were used as materials. Analyses for Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Ca, Mg, and K were performed with the atomic absorption spec- trophotometric method on blood collected from vena jugularis of all the sheep and rheumatoid factor levels were determined by the nephelometry method. Although it was found that Cu, Ca, and rheumatoid factor values in the sera of the sheep with brucellosis were high when compared to the control group (p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively), their serum Zn val- ues were low (p<0.05). No significant changes in serum Cr, Fe, K, and Mg levels were found. Index Entries: Brucellosis; trace elements; sheep. INTRODUCTION Brusellosis is a disease caused by Brucella microorganisms and is man- ifested by chronic inflammation in various organs and aborts in pregnant animals. The disease is seen mainly in sheep, but it is reported in goats, horses, donkeys, pigs, and dogs also (1,2). Biological Trace Element Research 123 Vol. 99, 2004 © Copyright 2004 by Humana Press Inc. All rights of any nature, whatsoever, reserved. 0163-4984/04/99(1–3)–0123 $25.00 * Author to whom all correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed.